Slashdot Mirror
After Berlusconi Attack, Italy Considers Web Censorship
An anonymous reader writes "The Italian government has proposed introducing new restrictions on the Internet after a Facebook fan page for the man who allegedly attacked Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Sunday drew almost 100,000 users in under 48 hours. However, the planned clampdown on Internet hate speech sparked a heated debate over censorship and freedom of expression, leading Interior Minister Roberto Maroni to execute a partial U-turn."
Must be very hard for Mr Berlusconi that there is media he doesn't control.
For anyone not familiar with Italy he already owns all the major tv stations and newspapers.
Cruise TT
Just goes to show, politicians everywhere dont like a medium that allows the little guy to have a voice.
Be you Admins? nay, we are but lusers!
Governments *hate* the idea of people having too much freedom.
Why?
It means you'll start asking too many questions and governments don't like that!
It also means you become difficult to control.
How?
By keeping you fearful - global warming, recession, terrorism, nuclear arms and now the freedom of the Internet (terrorists and paedophiles use it)
These subjects in themselves are genuine concerns but governments have a knack of focusing on them and using them to conrol the general population. Usually by using extreme measures via law and policy legislation.
Web censorship is no different. Governments need us to be passive and compliant. Fortunately free speech is *impossible* to control it's part of who you are. You can censor or prohibit the *mechanisms* that express free speech but never "control" it.
Suppose Italy do censor the Internet and other countries follow. Do you really think that will be the end of it?
I don't think so.
If they start blocking web sites (probably at ISP level) then people will turn to encryption and deliver content that way. If encrypting the web becomes illegal then some other mechanism will manifest itself (e.g. bypassing the ISP entirely).
I hate to say this, but some form of government control is coming to the Internet whether you like it or not.
So, be prepared.
Or is it only terrorism if the perpetrator is Muslim?
It is terrorism precisely when the word "terrorism" brings out the right sentiment in those listening to you.
The British were terrorising Catholics in Northern Ireland. The IRA were terrorising the English in London. The ANC was terrorising the white government in apartheid South Africa. The apartheid government was terrorising the black majority. Jews terrorised Arab villages and British hotels. Arabs terrorise Jewish women and children in marketplaces.